Of Lies and Love
by DJ Rose
Summary: The arrival of an old flame sends McCoy's head, and his heart, into upheaval. It all goes south when he has to make the decision between a lost love and his best friend. Nothing is easy when you're faced with the matters of lies and love. McCoy/OC
1. Scotty's Competition

DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the characters based off the original series created by Gene Roddenberry. I do, however, own the new Engineer whom you will all meet very soon! Story based on Star Trek: 2009 movie universe.

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"You canna do this ta me Cap'n!"

"Scotty, she's not…"

"It's an insult! An outrage!"

"There's no reason to be upset…"

"After all I've done for this ship! Years of service ta Starfleet!"

"Scotty!"

Montgomery Scott stopped mid-rant. The Enterprise's Chief Engineer had pushed his way into the Captain's office and started a tirade that fizzled out quickly. James T. Kirk had just accepted transfer orders for a new Engineer and apparently the news had already spread throughout the ship. The arrival of such people was the norm aboard a starship, but this particular engineer had lit a fire under Scotty that Kirk hadn't seen in a while.

"She's not here to replace you, Scotty. You're the best," he smirked, opening his arms wide in a gesture of good will toward the man. Scotty merely blinked.

Kirk continued, "We're bringing her in as an assistant. You've lost a few guys in the past year," he leaned forward in the chair, "You need the help. Take it."

"I can handle this ole' girl very well, thank ya." The engineer crossed his arms, looking off to the right.

"She's good." A moment of silence passed between the two men. Kirk knew his Chief Engineer well enough to see that this was merely a knee jerk reaction. The man was the best engineer in Starfleet, they both knew that. He also wasn't a sexist. Montgomery Scott didn't feel threatened by a woman, he felt threatened by a young, talented engineer making her way through the ranks.

"Aye, yer right." He unfolded his arms and looked at Kirk, "but I won't be babying her cuz she's a woman." He made that point firmly.

"Understood, Scotty. Now, she should be arriving within the hour. I suggest you see to it that your people are ready." Jim stood from the chair walking around to stand next to his friend. "It's going to be alright." He grinned, Scotty merely nodded.

"Dismissed."

Kirk watched Scotty leave with a hint of a smile on his face. The crew had been in the doldrums for weeks now. Even if it was only the Engineering department, he was glad this new addition was already starting to shake things up. She hadn't even stepped foot on board yet. Hopefully it would spread to the rest of the crew.

Checking the time, Jim stepped out onto the bridge of the Enterprise, settling the watch standers there as he briskly crossed over to the turbolift. The doors hissed open and closed just as quickly. Descending down to the lower decks, Kirk mulled over what he knew about this new engineer. She had graduated the top of her class from the Academy and earned numerous awards and acknowledgements for her work since then. There was no lying, she really was good.

The lift doors opened breaking Kirk's train of thought and he stepped out into the bustling passage ways of the shuttle bay deck. Crewman of all ranks and specialties buzzed around weaving in and around the Captain, speaking their greetings and moving on. Rounding a corner he nearly collided with his Chief Medical Officer and best friend, Bones McCoy.

"Bones! What brings you into the deepest, darkest, depths of the Enterprise?" Kirk slapped the good Doctor on the back with a grin.

McCoy took in a breath and gave Kirk a look, "Crewman decided it was a good idea to play hide and seek in a manifold intake. Burned himself pretty badly when a friend fired up the shuttle." He shifted his medical bag to the other hand and fell into step beside Kirk as they headed toward the shuttle bay.

"What about you? You usually take the transporter off ship. Chekov break it again?" Bones asked, twisting sideways to avoid several people heading in the opposite direction.

"Nope. New engineer arriving in a few moments. Didn't think Scotty should be the first one she meets." He nodded to another group of crewmen passing by.

"She? You sure this has anything to do with Montgomery Scott?" a sly smile crossed the Doctor's face as he glanced over at his friend. Leonord McCoy knew all too well the kind of womanizer the Captain of the Enterprise could be.

"It has everything to do with Montgomery Scott." Kirk replied, ignoring the look.

"She some old flame from long ago that broke his heart?" McCoy slowed briefly as they turned a corner to enter the bay.

"Competition. He sees her as a threat, someone who might take his job." The double doors slid open and the noise level rose considerably. At one end the doctor's patient could be heard moaning while across the way a shuttle craft had just settled onto the platform.

"Ah," Kirk smiled, "She's early." Without another word he quickened his pace and moved across the bay toward the opening hatch.

"Take it easy on the girl, Jim! She's new!" Bones was pretty sure his warning fell on deaf ears. He just shrugged and turned toward the injured crewman. James T. Kirk, womanizer extraordinaire was at it again and the woman hadn't even stepped foot on board the ship.

"Lord help her…" he muttered and went to work.


	2. Faces from the Past

A/N: Another chapter for you all tonight. I introduce you all to Lieutenant Adorae Kane, Starfleet Engineer. I appreciate any and all feedback, just, please, no flames. Not exactly sure where the story is going, though I have a general idea of what I want to happen. Hopefully there will be more to come. Enjoy!

P.S. – Thanks to Demon of the Deep for the story add, I hope I won't disappoint!

P.S.S. – A.C.E. = Assistant Chief Engineer

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She was relieved to finally be on board the Enterprise. The trip had been a difficult one. First, the transport shuttle leaving from San Francisco had hit some heavy turbulence leaving the atmosphere. A freshly pressed uniform had been ruined thanks to the guy with the coffee addiction seated next to her.

There was no time to change between arriving at the Moon outpost and catching the next shuttle out to Alpha Centauri. Even then, upon arrival at the star base she was quickly ushered to yet another transport. Finding herself alone at first, she changed quickly only to get interrupted by the pilot who had arrived for pre-flight checks. He got an eye full for a brief moment followed by an earful when he had failed to avert his eyes.

From there the last leg of the trip was fairly quiet, and they were actually going to arrive ahead of schedule. That was all about to change, however, because an entirely new set of twists waited ahead on Starfleet's flagship. She had no idea what she was about to get in to.

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Kirk slowed his approach as he neared the shuttle, waiting for the hatch to be fully lowered before stepping closer. Already familiar with his new engineer's profile, he waited as the shuttle emptied scanning faces in search of the officer. Near the end of the line a slender woman stepped down onto the deck. Her dark blonde hair was pulled back into a neat bun and she wore the uniform of a Starfleet engineer.

"Excuse me, you're the new engineer." He stated in greeting, putting on a thousand watt smile.

"Lieutenant Adorae Kane." She returned the smile, taking his hand as he extended it.

"Captain James Kirk, pleasure to meet you Lieutenant." Kirk grasped her hand gently, but was met with a more firm grip.

"Tell me, sir. Is it customary for the Commanding Officer to meet new arrivals?" Kane drew her hand back.

"What do you mean?"

"I figured the Chief Engineer would be here." She glanced aft of the shuttle as bags were beginning to be unloaded.

"He was unavoidably detained. I was free, so I thought I would meet you." He also noticed the movement and started in that direction.

Adorae followed, "It's a shame, I was looking forward to meeting the legendary Montgomery Scott."

"I'm sure the feeling is mutual, Ms. Kane." Lifting a bag she indicated over his shoulder, Jim motioned in the direction of the exit.

On the opposite side of the shuttle bay, McCoy had triaged the situation and was preparing the crewman for transport to sickbay. Busy with giving orders to his staff, he didn't hear the Captain and new engineer walk up behind him. He definitely wasn't prepared for the sight he would face as soon as he turned around.

"Bones! I'd like you to meet the newest member of the USS Enterprise. Lieutenant…"

"Adorae Kane." McCoy practically choked on the words as he turned to face Kirk and was confronted with a face from the past. A very rocky and tormenting past.

"Hello Leonard." Her voice was cool as ice with a smile that breeched his very being.

"Wait, you two know each other?" this fact stumped Jim Kirk as he looked from one to the other. For a second he thought McCoy was going to fall over from shock, but the doctor quickly recovered.

"We're old friends." Kane answered the question without missing a beat, "It's good to see you again. The years have been good to you." She gave him a quick once over with her eyes. Adorae's heart quickened its pace but she managed to keep a solemn expression. She'd been aware that McCoy was serving on the Enterprise, but there was no preparing for the sight of him after all those years.

Kirk wasn't one to muscle in on his friend's territory, so he made a suggestion. "Why don't you show the Lieutenant to her quarters, Bones. You two can catch up." Again his eyes darted back and forth.

"That's quite all right, sir. The doctor appears to be busy," Kane eyed the young man on the stretcher behind McCoy as he was lifted up.

"I should get to sickbay." His voice was low as he spoke. As if her very presence was draining the life out of him. He barely registered the activity that went on around him.

"Sounds good." Jim slapped him on the back, "If you'll follow me, Lieutenant, we'll get you settled in." he jumped on the chance to leave. The tension in the room had become unbelievably thick.

Adorae said something to the Captain and then to McCoy, but all he heard was muffled words. Then as quickly as she had arrived, Adorae Kane was gone. He blinked a few times trying to clear his vision, wondering if that whole conversation had just happened. The sounds of the injured crewman brought the doctor back the real world to his reason for being in the shuttle bay to begin with.

"Doctor? Are you okay?" a young woman wearing the yellow uniform of a pilot appeared at his side.

"Huh? Yeah. I'm fine." He looked at her dark features. The black hair and brown eyes were the complete opposite of the blonde hair and green eyes of the new engineer. "I have to go." McCoy blinked a few times to remove the image from his mind. Turning on his heel he quickly walked from the shuttle bay leaving the bewildered pilot behind.

---

Having left the beautiful young Lieutenant in her quarters, James T. Kirk had retired to his own to catch up on some paperwork. It was quiet for about half an hour, most of that time being spent reflecting on McCoy's reaction to Adorae Kane. Kirk felt that there was something more there than just "old friends." He didn't get long to muse on the subject as a loud buzzer interrupted his thoughts.

"Enter." He hollered in the direction of the door. It opened to reveal Doctor McCoy who wasted no time crossing the room.

"Why the hell didn't you warn me!?" the words shot out like fire, which was equally reflected in McCoy's eyes.

"I see you've recovered from your loss of speech, Bones. Good for you." Kirk looked up at the now angered doctor and simply leaned back crossing one foot over the other on his desk.

"Damnit, Jim! This isn't the time for fun and games, why wasn't I told?" Bones leaned forward and placed both hands on the desk.

"Told what? That the new engineer was an old friend from back home? To be honest, I didn't know. Though I think I should have known about this one, Bones. She's a looker." He grinned in spite of the threatening look he was getting from across the desk.

McCoy pushed up off the smooth surface and began pacing the room, "What the hell am I supposed to do? If I would have known she was coming…" he spoke mostly to himself, his thoughts put out in the open.

"What would you have done? Jumped out the nearest airlock?" Kirk jumped up from the chair and walked around placing a hand on his friends shoulder, "Take it easy, McCoy. It's just a girl."

Turning his head slowly, Bones looked Kirk in the eyes, "Yeah. Just a girl." He was trying to convince himself more than anyone. There was an urge deep down to just spill his guts and tell Kirk the whole story, but it wouldn't do either of them any good right now. McCoy needed time to think.

"Sorry, shouldn't have blown up on ya like that. I should get back to work." He managed a small smile and started for the door.

"How's the crewman doing?" Kirk asked, taking the hint that their discussion was over.

"He'll live, though it won't be fun. That's what he gets for playing games." The door slid open and McCoy stepped out into the passage way. "See you in the morning." He walked away and the single door closed. Immediately lost in thought, Bones wandered the corridors aimlessly. His patient was resting comfortably under the care of the other doctors and nurses, there was no rush to head back to sickbay. Instead, he walked silently.

Without pre-meditation or a need to do so Bones stopped in front of another door. Glancing up at a small, freshly made placard, the events of earlier that day came flooding back. Staring back at him were the words "LT A. KANE, A.C.E." It wasn't a dream, she really was here. Life was about to take a turn in another direction. A direction Bones wasn't too sure he was ready to head.


	3. Two Sides of the Same War

A/N: First things first…thank you to everyone who added my story to their alerts! I'm glad that you all are liking what you're reading. It's been a while since I have been able to write on a more regular basis. Just to reiterate, reviews are more than welcome, just no flames. Also, if anyone has any suggestions for this story and maybe a plot for another story I'm open to those. Here's the next chapter for your viewing pleasure, Enjoy!!!

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Bones had made three more laps around that deck over the course of the next hour. Each time he would pass by her room his pace would slow and he would strain his ears for any sound that might pass through the door. On the fourth time around it was something entirely different that caught his attention.

"Cherry blossoms," McCoy whispered to himself as he stepped closer to the source of the sweet scent. Closing his eyes, Bones breathed in deep the fragrance that was so familiar to him. In an instant a flood of memories assaulted him. The day they met, the first time they kissed, getting caught in the rain, relaxing on the beach, the first time they made love. The very last time he saw her.

There had been no goodbyes. Only questions.

Shaking himself mentally, Bones took a step back as if he'd been hit. He stared at the door like it was the one who struck the blow. A minute passed. Then another. With all the caution of a soldier stepping into a minefield, McCoy crept closer to the barrier and leaned in. The cherry blossom scent was stronger here, but he kept control of his thoughts.

A balled up fist formed at his side, then slowly rose parallel to the door. Bones took a deep breath and moved as to knock but stopped, his hand less than an inch away. Letting the air slowly escape from his lungs, he let his fingers uncurl and lightly rest against the cool surface. Every fiber in his body wanted to shout out. To let Adorae know he was here, to hold her close again. Forget everything in their past and start fresh.

It wasn't going to happen though. Instead, McCoy closed his eyes and gathered his thoughts. Pulling his hand away he headed down the corridor once more, but this time there was no lap around the deck. The familiar circle became a straight line as he entered the turbo lift and made the descent down to sickbay. There was a pile of paper work on his desk that just might distract him enough, or at least keep him busy for a while. No sleep would come tonight.

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The most glorious thing after a long trip is an equally long, and hot, shower. Adorae indulged herself fully in this ritual as soon as she got James Kirk out of her quarters. The Captain had been more than gracious in making sure she was comfortable and even offered dinner. She had politely denied, feigning fatigue. True, he was a handsome man but he was also her Commanding Officer. Besides, Adorae wasn't there to find her one true love. She was there to work.

Steam rose as she pulled open the sliding door and reached for a towel. The terry cloth felt good on her skin. Reaching across the counter she wiped the mirror clean revealing a very tired and worn Starfleet officer. Adorae let out a small sigh and went about her routine. She ran a brush through her hair, added a satin cream, and put some lotion on her face. Searching the room, Kane realized she had left everything else out in the main room.

Adorae rifled through her duffle and pulled out a small glass bottle. Pulling the top off, she sprayed a light mist over her body. The scent of cherry blossoms filled the room. Breathing deeply, Adorae allowed herself to relax. Yet, there was a persistent nagging thought in the back of her mind that prevented total relaxation.

"Why am I letting you do this to me…" she muttered and proceeded to pull out some clean clothes. Kane changed quickly and went about the task of unpacking. Any tedious little thing to distract herself. That all came to a screeching halt when she came across a parcel wrapped in plain brown paper. Taking it in hand, Kane walked over and sat on the edge of the bed. Carefully she pulled the paper apart, the first thing meeting her eyes was a small pink note. Her mother's fluid handwriting jumped up from the page, making her smile.

"I thought you might need a little reminder of happier times. Don't forget to call. I love you. Love, Mom."

Adorae furrowed her brow slightly at the words. Lifting the paper she stopped cold at the sight that met her eyes. There, staring back at her was a happy couple standing together on the beach. Both were soaking wet and laughing after a wrestling match in the waves. The sun had started to set and the deep oranges and reds dominated the picture. The frame started to shake a little and Adorae realized it was her. She set the picture face down on the bed and stood up.

Walking back into the bathroom she placed both hands on other side of the sink. Lifting her head, Adorae caught sight of the single tear rolling down her cheek. There was no way she was prepared for what this assignment would bring. Who was she kidding? Trying to come in here and play the part of the strong, independent woman. Adorae couldn't lie to herself this time. This time she was in over her head.

She wiped the tear, took in a breath and let it go slowly. After brushing her teeth Kane turned out the light in the bathroom and slowly headed back to the bedroom. The frame stood out against the dark linen. Adorae picked it up, not daring to look, and set it inside the drawer of the nightstand. Drawing the blankets back, Kane crawled between the sheets and settled in. She closed her eyes and fell into a broken sleep. When she could sleep, Adorae dreamt of that day on the beach. In between she would lay on her back and stare at the ceiling. Living and working on the same ship as Leonard McCoy was going to be an uphill battle. One that she might very well lose.


	4. First Day Jitters

A/N: Like always, I want to thank everyone for the reviews. At the suggestion of one, I've already written a tat-a-tat between McCoy and Kirk. You'll all have to suffer for now because it won't make its debut until later on in the story. Until then, I shall regale you all with Scotty's first meeting with his new Assistant Chief Engineer. Hang with me on this one as this will be my first time delving into the realm of techno babble and engineering terms. Here we go!

P.S. – The opening lyrics to "The Best is Yet to Come"

Out of the tree of life, I just picked me a plum  
You came along and everything started to hum  
Still it's a real good bet, the best is yet to come

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The inventive lyrics and crooning melody of Frank Sinatra filtered quietly through the speakers hidden throughout the room. Kane hummed along as "Fly Me to the Moon" headed into a second verse. Just as the band began its big musical interlude, the door buzzed notifying Adorae that there was someone outside her quarters. Swinging her hips back and forth to the beat she danced her way over to the entrance and opened the door. There stood Jim Kirk, a coy grin on his face and resting his forearm on the door frame.

"A fan of the classics I see." He stood upright, scanning her quarters briefly before settling on the young officer in front of him.

"My father loved Jazz music and the Big Band era. I grew up listening to it. Sinatra's my favorite." At that moment the beginning bars of "The Best is Yet to Come" filled the room. Kirk couldn't help but smile at the lyrics to the song.

"What brings you to my door this morning, Captain?" Kane clasped her hands behind her back, looking at her visitor.

"I thought I would take you to breakfast before your first official day on board began. Nothing like a hearty meal to start off the day." That same grin never left his face as he spoke.

"Although I appreciate the gesture, sir…"

"Please, call me Jim."

Adorae smiled at his words, "I appreciate the gesture but I've already eaten. I planned on getting a jump on learning the layout of the ship, especially Engineering. Maybe even catch up with Mr. Scott before the morning meetings."

"Ah, yes. That sounds reasonable." For the first time since he arrived, Kirk's smile faded a little.

"If you'll excuse me, I don't want to be late." She took half a step back, her hand ready to close the door.

"Sure. Don't let me be the one to stop you." Kirk forced a smile and rocked back on his heels rubbing his hands together. Adorae stood there a moment and watched him.

"Have a good day, sir." She inclined her head politely and stepped back closing the door.

Kirk let out a stream of air and just stared at the now closed door in front of him. He turned the events of the past day over in his mind. Never before had he ever had this much trouble getting a woman to fall head over heels for him. No wait…

"Uhura." He mumbled to himself, his brow furrowed at the memory of his years at the Academy. That was one woman he couldn't corner, but he was glad to have her in his corner. She was a fine officer. Now there was woman number two, just on the other side of that door. That damned door.

Falling back onto the balls of his feet, James Kirk pivoted to his left and began walking back down the corridor. He suddenly found himself with about an hour to kill and no real appetite to speak of. Whistling low Jim entered the turbo lift and chose a random destination. It was his ship after all. Who was going to question the Captain walking around aimlessly?

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The warm glow of the impulse engines were the first thing that greeted Lieutenant Kane as she entered Main Engineering and her new home for the next few years. Slowly she walked further into the room taking in her surroundings and marveling at Starfleet's most advanced engines. These engines had been the subject of a paper she wrote while serving at the Starfleet Corps of Engineers prior to her assignment here.

"Will ya get that thing outta here! If I've told ya once I told ya a thousand times this is no place to be trying out yer science experiments!" the heavily accented Scottish brogue drifted freely through the air rising above the hum of the engines. Kane moved in the direction of the source and soon came upon the Enterprise's Chief Engineer and one of his personnel who was hastily gathering up an armload of gadgets. In somewhat of a hurry and not wanting to anger anyone further, the man made his retreat with a few items not well secured.

"Hold on, let me help you." Adorae caught one of the contraptions before it met an untimely end in a thousand pieces on the deck. He thanked her and hurried off.

Montgomery Scott had already turned back to working on a nearby station and never noticed Adorae's arrival. She stood there a moment, not sure of what to say or even how to say it. So caught up in how to just say hello, Kane never noticed Scotty turning around and nearly colliding with her.

"Aye, watch where yer standing." He caught his balance before looking at exactly who it was he almost ran over. In that same instant the color seemed to drain from his face. As Montgomery Scott was a legend among engineers everywhere, Adorae Kane had come to hold her own in her short tour in Starfleet. Many had compared her to the veteran, saying that she may very well pass him up in due time. In short, she terrified him.

"Commander Scott?" Adorae managed to find her voice, though the look on Scott's face never changed.

"Aye."

"I'm Lieutenant Adorae Kane, the new Assistant Chief Engineer." Strength returned, she squared her shoulders and faced her new boss head on.

"Aye." Scott merely nodded and walked directly by Kane going about his business like she had never showed up.

Adorae blinked a few times trying to register the now empty space in front of her. Coming back to her senses she whirled around and followed close on his heels.

"Sir, I was hoping to start right away. I have a few ideas on how to increase…"

"Lieutenant, you can start by staying out of my way. I'm a very busy man with a starship ta run." Again he walked away from her.

"Commander Scott!" the desperation slipped out but Kane got his attention. Montgomery Scott stopped and turned to look at her.

"Yes?" he said with a tone of mockery.

"I came here to work. Let me do at least that."

"You can observe," He started to move again but stopped and spun around, "but stay outta ma way."

Adorae nodded and quickly followed as Scotty headed toward the main control console for the warp core. Over the next couple of hours, Kane followed him around taking in the atmosphere and watching the work of a man she had come to respect deeply. The appeal of doing so wore off eventually and she found herself straying away.

It was late morning by now and Scotty was mulling over an upgrade to the warp manifolds. Adorae had wandered off to a nearby console and started looking through some of the basic schematics for the Navigational Deflector. Within minutes she was using the neighboring console to figure out a series of algorithms.

"Will ya stop that incessant tapping, I'm tryin' ta…" Scotty stopped when he saw what was on the screen. Stepping up behind her he peered over her shoulder and took in the information that was there.

"Impressive."

Kane glanced up briefly, taken aback at his sudden change in attitude, but began to explain what she was doing.

"You see, if you increase the power output here, just before the converter it will give you an increase output back here." She pointed to various points on the drawing, "That increase distributed among each of these modules will give you a stronger electromagnetic field giving the ship the capability to deflect more enemy fire as well as extend that same field around smaller vessels without severely degrading our own defenses.." Adorae looked over at Scotty, practically holding her breath waiting for his reaction.

"That's amazing." He enlarged a portion of her calculations and leaned in a little closer. "This could work." Scott turned his head toward Adorae and actually smiled for the first time since she had met him. "Well done, Lieutenant. Well done."

"Thank you, sir." There was no hiding the large smile that dominated her expression. What she thought would take weeks or even months to do, had only taken hours. She had shown that she wasn't just some hyped up engineer who had gotten lucky a few times.

"Jackson! C'mere." An engineer that was close by looked up and walked over. "Help the Lieutenant get started on this. I want ta see a plan of implementation by the end a tha day." The man nodded.

For the rest of the day Adorae labored away devising a plan to make the changes she had proposed to the Chief Engineer. It was like a dream come true. Here she was on the flagship with Starfleet's top engineers doing what she loved most. Now if only everything else could fall into place.


	5. The First Battle

A/N: So many more reviews…I love it! I haven't been able to keep up a writing streak like this in a while. Makes it easy when you have great characters to work with, though. Strangely enough, I went back about 12 years for inspiration on this one. Did you all know that Karl Urban played Cupid on "Xena" and "Hercules"? Neither did I, but I watched the episodes on Netflix. Yeah, they were a bit corny but I still got some good ideas. Or was it the fact that he was half dressed?

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If it wasn't for the hunger pains in her stomach, Kane never would have realized how much time had passed. Feeling comfortable that they had reached a stopping point, Adorae made plans to meet with her fellow engineer in an hour. During that time they could both get something to eat. It took directions from a couple of the crewmen but she finally found her way to the mess.

It didn't take long for Adorae to figure out the system and she soon had her food and was sitting at a small table in the corner. She was lost in thought going over the blue prints for the Navigational Array in her head when a familiar voice broke through.

"Anyone sitting here?" Jim offered a small smile as he moved to take the seat anyway.

"No, please help yourself." The thoughts of power modules and electromagnetic fields faded away from her mind. There would be time for that later, but for now she played hostess to the ship's Captain. Adorae couldn't keep telling him no, and they were only sharing a table.

"You've made quite the impression on my Chief Engineer." Kirk jumped right into something that he figured she would immediately pick up on…engineering.

"Just doing what I'm good at. It was a simple upgrade to the power cells, nothing major." Heat rose in her cheeks at the compliment.

"Simple upgrade? You're going to increase the deflector output by 23%. That's incredible." He stabbed at a tomato and popped it into his mouth.

"Thank you, sir." Adorae couldn't help but smile. Kirk returned it with a smile of his own, finally confident that he was getting somewhere with the Lieutenant. He kept the conversation going with a question here, or a comment there, letting her do all the talking. Kirk enjoyed just listening to her speak.

---

"…and then there it was, right in front of my face." Hikaru Sulu waved his fork around in the air imitating the sudden appearance of an object. Pavel Chekov looked on in amazement.

"Dat is incredible." Chekov was mesmerized by the pilot's story, so much that he hadn't even touched his lunch.

"Mind if I join you gentleman?" Doctor McCoy walked up behind the two, plate in hand.

"Of course, Doctor." Sulu slid over a bit allowing McCoy access to the other chair at the table. The man settled into the seat, greeting Chekov with a nod of his head. He had been hoping to catch Kirk, but there was no such luck. Maybe he could find him later after his shift was over.

"Hey, there's that new officer."

Bones looked at Sulu for a moment and then in the direction that he was indicating. Sure enough, there was Adorae on the other side of the mess and none other than James T. Kirk at the same table. The two were deep in conversation both laughing and smiling.

"She seems wery nice." McCoy cocked a brow at Chekov's comment, still not used to the boy's heavily accented English.

"Have you met her yet?" The question was directed at McCoy but he barely heard the words. For some reason the sight of those two together didn't sit well with the Doctor. That same burning anger from the night before started to rise inside of him. What could be causing this feeling? Bones had gotten over Adorae. He'd even been married since he last saw her…and divorced. It had been seven years!

"Excuse me." He couldn't stand sitting there watching the two. Without another word McCoy stood from the table and left, leaving the two junior officers confused with his sudden departure.

He made his way back to Sickbay. The medical facility was close to empty with the exception of a patient and a couple of nurses. Not wanting to really talk to anyone, Bones headed to the back of the room where his desk was. Sliding into the large chair, McCoy sat there a moment trying to calm himself. He tried thinking of anything but Adorae Kane. When that didn't work he resorted to paperwork. What little there was at least. Most of the work had been done the night before.

Bones let out a sigh as he leaned forward and activated the screen. Scrolling through he began to update medical records. It was a job usually done by one of the corpsmen but he needed anything to take his mind off of her. What seemed like hours passed. Looking at the chrono he realized it had only been thirty minutes.

"It's going to be a long day…" he closed his eyes tight rubbing them with his fingers.

"Pardon me, sir, but there is someone here to see you." One of the nurses peered around the corner.

"Alright, send 'em back." McCoy pushed the chair back and stood turning his back for a moment in order to close the screen that was up on the console behind him.

"You know, I was lying earlier when I said you looked good." The smooth, song-like voice was enough to send a shiver down his spine. McCoy turned slowly and nearly forgot to breathe as he took in the sight of her.

"You look great." Adorae could have sworn the entire galaxy could hear her heart beating at that very moment. She wasn't exaggerating, he looked the same as he did the last time she saw him. Even better.

"Lieutenant, what can I do for you?" Bones attempted to play it cool, but instantly saw that it was a bad idea. Kane's brow furrowed in a knot and the sparkle that had been in her eye was no longer there.

"I was told to check in with you." She crossed her arms in front of her chest and gave him an icy stare.

"Very well, give me a moment to bring up your record." He sat back down at the desk and proceeded to do just that. The entire time he hadn't even dared look in her general direction.

A couple of minutes passed as Kane just stood there, stewing over his resorting to formalities. She wasn't just some patient. Seven years was a long time but not long enough to forget what had happened between them. Oh no, the memories were still fresh for her. Watching McCoy just sit there staring at that screen began to anger her to no end. This wasn't the welcome she had expected.

"I can't believe you." The words were low but forceful. She only wanted to get his attention and it had worked.

"What?" Bones wasn't sure if he had heard her at first.

"You! You're sitting there as if this is just some daily routine." Kane glared at him from across the room.

"This is part of my daily routine." He sat back from the desk and just looked at her. In his mind snippets of fights that they'd had played like a news reel. She was a passionate woman and he was far from the Southern gentleman. It had made for some doozies.

Lowering her voice slightly, "We were never routine." The words were simple but they packed a punch. McCoy couldn't decide whether to agree or disagree. In a way she was right. Their relationship had been out of the ordinary for him, which had made it all that more appealing. It was also the reason they had split. Or at least he liked to think.

"Are you done?" she sounded more resigned.

"Almost." Bones went back to the screen, updated a few items in her record and closed the screen. "There."

"Thank you, sir." Kane left without waiting for a reply. His eyes never moved from the monitor there on the desk. Even minutes after the room had gone quiet he was still there staring at a blank screen. McCoy's hands slowly began balling into fists as they rested on the desk.

"Damnit!" in a sudden explosion of anger he slammed his hands against the hard surface and stood up quickly, forcibly pushing the chair back into the bulkhead. He began pacing the room, hands on his hips, and cursing at himself. One of the nurses who had heard the crash started around the corner but at the sight and sound of the doctor thought it best to just leave it alone.

As she retreated back into the main room, the doors to Sickbay slid open to reveal Commander Spock waiting on the other side. The stoic Vulcan entered, approaching the nurse.

"Is Doctor McCoy available?" he addressed the woman, hands folded neatly behind his back and without any expression on his face. The complete opposite of the Doctor's fiery outburst and colorful language.

"Uh, yes he is, sir. I recommend caution, however. The Doctor isn't in a very good mood." The nurse continued on with her work, leaving Spock there with a slightly raised eye brow. Not hesitating a moment longer he proceeded to the far side of the room where the Doctor was still pacing and talking to himself.

"Am I interrupting, Doctor?" Spock's voice was the last thing McCoy expected to hear.

"What? No, no." he waved his hands around as if trying to brush something away, "Come in. What can I do for you Commander?" Bones stopped his pacing and leaned against the desk, one arm folded across his chest. The other rested perpendicular against his body giving him access to chew on his thumb nail. Not a characteristic trait of the Doctor, and not going unnoticed by his colleague.

"Is something wrong?"

"Wrong?" he stopped biting and looked at Spock, who indicated with a tilt of his head the partially chewed nail. McCoy dropped the hand and stood up straight. "No, nothing's wrong."

"I find that difficult to comprehend, Doctor, as you are visibly irritated." He pointed out in what Bones thought was an annoying manner.

"I'm a Doctor, Spock. Not exactly a walk in the park, my job." He frowned slightly at the Vulcan and walked back behind the desk.

"Perhaps I can help. There are a number of Vulcan meditations I can show you for relaxation." Spock's intentions, albeit noble, were the last thing McCoy wanted to hear right now. No amount of relaxing was going to make his life any easier.

"No thanks, I'll manage." He didn't try to hide the skeptical look on his face. Grabbing the chair, which was leaning sideways against the bulkhead, McCoy pushed it all the way into the desk with a little more force then was necessary. He leaned heavily against the back with a death grip on the support bar hidden beneath the thick leather material.

"I see." He paused, "If you will excuse me, I am due on the bridge." Hands still behind his back, Spock turned gracefully and started walking toward the exit.

"Spock!" the Vulcan stopped and looked at the Doctor, "What'd you want?"

"I was merely investigating the concerns of two fellow colleagues. Perhaps they were mistaken. Good day, Doctor." Leaving no room for a reply, Spock exited Sickbay. Bones was left with a confused look before it hit him.

"Chekov and Sulu…" he threw his hands in the air. It hadn't taken those two long to get Spock to intervene. What he wanted to know is how they did it. The Commander usually wasn't one to inquire into the emotional state of others if it wasn't affecting their performance.

"Or maybe…" he thought out loud. No, there was no way all this could be affecting the performance of his duties. It'd been less than twenty-four hours.

The thought stuck with Bones as he slowly walked along the same path Spock had just taken moments ago. Telling the nurses where he'd be, McCoy made his way up to the bridge in a haze. It was time to find Kirk and figure out exactly what was going on.


	6. Fly Me to the Moon

A/N: This has officially become my most successful story. Thank you everyone! Things are going to start moving along faster now as I head into the "Lies" portion of the title. It might not be what some of you think, but then again it might be exactly what you think. I hope it won't disappoint though. As I've said before, feel free to send me suggestions or ideas. One idea has already made it into writing and will be in the story soon. Sometimes it helps to get another point of view of what I'm writing. Anyway, enjoy!

P.S. – The roles of Vice Admiral Brock Savage and Commander Braddick were created solely for this plot line, as I could not find any record of a JAG in the Original Series. If anyone knows of one, please let me know.

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The bridge was bustling with activity as Doctor McCoy stepped out of the turbo lift. He immediately spotted Kirk in the Captain's chair at the center of the room. Walking in that direction, he stopped briefly to allow a Yeoman to pass then approached Kirk. The Captain was speaking with a crewman, but acknowledged Bones' presence. The crewman soon left.

"Bones, what a pleasant surprise. What's up?" Kirk leaned on the arm of the chair looking over at his Chief Medical Officer and friend.

"Can we talk?" McCoy glanced around at all the people, "In private."

Kirk became slightly concerned at the look on McCoy's face, "Of course." He stood and led the way to the small conference room adjacent to the bridge. The moment Bones entered he was at a loss for words. Everything had been planned out in his head on the way here, but now it was gone.

"What's wrong, Bones?" Jim leaned against the table and crossed his arms.

"It's…it's about Lieutenant Kane." He had to start somewhere, and she was the reason he had gone to Kirk in the first place.

"What about her?"

McCoy paused for a moment trying to put his thoughts into words, "Jim, I…we…" he took a breath and just said it, "Adorae and I were a…a thing." He had a slight look of desperation in his eyes, wanting Kirk to understand.

"A thing?" came the flat reply.

"Yeah. Seven years ago." He took in a deep breath and let it go. It was amazing how just stating that little fact alone lifted a weight from his shoulders.

"Seven years is a long time, Bones. You eventually got married, to what's her name, right?" he waved a hand around as if trying to grab the answer out of thin air, when in reality neither of them care much to mention the Doctor's estranged ex-wife.

"I know. I know. A mistake on my part by the way," Bones made his way over to a window and stared out at the stars, "Think she roped me into it just for the fun of seeing me squirm." A small shudder went through his body at the thought of those short tumultuous years.

"So what's the deal now? She still has a thing for you?" Jim smirked, "Adorae I mean."

McCoy frowned as he turned his head, "I don't know. Wouldn't blame her if she didn't." again he faced the stars. "It only lasted for three weeks, but it was the best three weeks of my life. I was doing my residency at the University of Mississippi; she was a grad student there." Bones turned all the way around resting the palms of his hands against the sill.

"Little young for you, wasn't she?"

McCoy shot him a look, "She was a grad student, Jim. Besides, she wasn't much younger than I was."

A couple of minutes passed before Kirk spoke, "So why tell me all of this? Seems like it's been over for a while."

"It has. Or at least I thought it was. Seeing her in the shuttle bay yesterday, it was like the past seven years didn't happen. She looked just as she did the last time I saw her, only with a Starfleet uniform." He pushed off the sill and started walking the room.

"How did it end?" Kirk followed the Doctor with his eyes.

"I can't really remember. One day we were perfectly content with each other and the next…it was over." He sighed, "I left not long after that. Met another woman, fell in love, and got married. Fell out of love, got a divorce. Hopped a shuttle to Starfleet Academy and met you. The rest is history."

"You said it yourself, Bones. It's over between you two."

"Yes, but now she's here and for who knows how long. I hadn't thought about her in a while, but now I can't stop." McCoy spun a chair around and sat down. Resting his elbows on his knees he put his face in his hands.

"Look Bones," Kirk walked over to his friend, "her being here is only a test. All you have to do is buckle down and wait it out. She just brought up some memories. That's what's getting to you. Push through it and everything will turn out just fine." He slapped the good Doctor on the back, shaking him a little.

"Take the rest of the night off, relax a little. Do something to get your mind off of her. Your staff can handle anything that pops up, and if they can't you're just a call away." Kirk gave him another little slap for good measure and started for the door.

"Yeah, I'll do just that." Bones said with a bit of sarcasm as he stood from the chair. Following Kirk out, he headed back toward the lift.

"Hey Bones," the Doctor looked back at Kirk, "Just a girl, remember."

"Right. Thanks." Zigzagging through officers and crew alike, McCoy entered the lift and headed back down to Sickbay, before continuing on to his quarters.

---

The room was dark and quiet when McCoy entered a few moments later. Not bothering with the lights he walked over to the personal computer that sat in the corner and turned it on. Searching through media files he found exactly what he was looking for. It was simply titled "A.K." The familiar beginning bars of the first song replaced the silence.

"Fly me to the moon; let me play among the stars…" Frank Sinatra's words were there but it wasn't his voice. Instead, a woman was singing the song. McCoy made his way to a nearby cabinet and opened it up, removing a bottle and glass from the shelf. He poured the dark smooth liquid into the glass, not bothering to add ice.

Bones sat down in an arm chair and gently swirled the bourbon, staring into nothing. Closing his eyes he let the angelic voice overtake him and his mind drifted back to that late afternoon in August. It was a typical humid day in Mississippi and the students at the University had made their way out into the main courtyard, escaping from both the heat of the classrooms as well as their professors. Though he worked at the hospital, McCoy liked to spend time on the campus. He himself had graduated a few short years ago from this very college. It held wonderful memories for him.

There were many students just sitting around talking but a large group had gathered over in a corner and some were setting up speakers. Members of the schools jazz band set up instruments on a makeshift stage and started to tune them. Deciding to stay for the impromptu concert, McCoy, seeking reprieve from the sun, found shade under a nearby tree and settled onto the grass. He leaned back against the cool bark as the band struck up the first chords of an instrumental. They played for a few minutes, warming up. Seamlessly they transitioned into a song, and the first couple chords of Sinatra's "Fly Me to the Moon" drifted out.

That's when he heard her. The words were fluid and playful. From the corner of the stage a young woman stepped out in front of the now growing crowd. She smiled as she sang, her green eyes dancing to the beat of the tune. McCoy was entranced by both her voice as well as her beauty. She held the microphone lightly, it being more of an extension of her hand rather than a tool. The woman wandered the stage back and forth as the song progressed, singing to both the band and the students.

When the instrumental break came she danced out from the stage and into the crowd, swaying her hips to the music and flirting harmlessly with some of the men in her passing. At this point McCoy had forgotten about the band, focusing solely on her. He hardly noticed as she got closer to where he was sitting. The interlude ended and she began to sing again, only this time he could hear her on two levels. The words coming directly through her mouth as well as the speakers near the stage.

"Fill my heart with song and let me sing forever more," she drew closer to him, looking only at him, "You are all I long for all I worship and adore." A flirtatious smile danced across her lips, "In other words," the band wound up, "Please be true." She swung her hips around and started back toward the stage, "In other words," further away, "In other words," glancing over her shoulder at him with a smile, using the single beats to close the distance between her and the band, then slowly, "I…love…you." She winked at McCoy and smiled as the audience began to applaud.

Over the next couple of hours the band played everything from Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and a few of the newer artists. As night began to fall the students slowly dispersed heading back to their dorms for a night of studying or partying. McCoy wove in and around the people, making his way to the front where the equipment was starting to be broken down. The woman sat on top of a speaker talking as one of the trumpet players cleaned his instrument and placed it in the case. She caught sight of McCoy and smiled.

"You liked the show." It was more of a statement of fact then an assumption.

"It was great," he shoved his hands in his pockets, feeling like a school boy; "You were great."

She laughed, it sounded like bells to him, "Thank you. I appreciate it." She extended her hand toward him, "My name's Adorae Kane."

"Adorae." He smiled, liking the way her name rolled off his tongue. Taking her hand he shook it, "Leonard McCoy."

"I'm gonna take off, Adorae. See you next week." The trumpeter glanced briefly at McCoy and clicked the final latch into place on his case.

"Alright, Jimmy. Have a good night." She waved to the man then turned back.

"So, are you a student here? Don't think I've seen you around before." Adorae slid off the speaker and stepped down to the ground.

"Used to be. I work nearby." He jumped in to help as she started cleaning up some of the cables that were coiled all around.

"Where?"

He grinned at her persistence, "I'm doing my residency at the hospital."

"You're a doctor? That's great." She smiled, taking some of the coils from him and placing them in a large plastic container.

"It has its ups and downs. Long hours, but I get to visit my old stomping grounds every now and then. What about you? Are you a music student here?"

Kane brushed away a stray lock of hair and chuckled, "Sometimes I wish." She closed the lid on the container and stood up, "Nope. I'm doing my graduate studies in the Engineering program here. I only sing with the band one night a week. It helps me unwind."

"Well, you have a great voice." McCoy lifted the container with the cables and placed it on top of another.

"You are too kind, Leonard." Adorae smiled, heading over to pick up the backpack she had brought with her. Pausing for a moment, she glanced back at the band members that were loading the last of the equipment then gave him a thoughtful look.

"Do you want to go get a cup of coffee? The band usually goes to this little café just off campus after a session; you're welcome to come with us."

"Sure." McCoy happily accepted. After cleaning up the small area, he followed Adorae and the band down a walkway that led off campus. That night in the courtyard had begun a relationship that soon hit the fast track, sending both occupants on the ride of their lives. It was short lived, but unforgettable.

Back in the quiet darkness of his quarters, Bones looked down at the now empty glass in his hands. The recording of the concert that night had ended, along with it the memory. McCoy stood, returning the bottle to the cabinet and leaving the glass on the table. With a heavy heart, and more torn than ever, he headed to the bedroom. Climbing into bed, McCoy soon fell into a broken and troubled sleep.

---

Across the system, back on Earth a man sat behind a large mahogany desk. In front of him, Admiral Christopher Pike stood with his hands behind his back. The two looked at each other in silence, both waiting. As if they had willed it to happen, the large door on the other end of the room opened and a young ensign hurried toward them.

"Do you have it?"

"Yes, sir." The ensign held out the data PADD he was carrying. Admiral Pike took it from him and read the contents, his frown becoming deeper with every word. At the end, he set it down and slid it across the desk.

The man, Vice Admiral Brock Savage, the Judge Advocate General of Starfleet, took up the small device and glanced over it, "Are you sure?" he asked the ensign.

"Absolutely, Admiral. The evidence is there, we've found your traitor. She just took a position on the USS Enterprise. Commander Braddick is ready to leave on your orders, sir."

"Very well, tell my yeoman to have a shuttle ready within the hour." Savage leaned back into the large leather chair.

"That won't be necessary," Pike spoke to the messenger, and then addressed the Vice Admiral, "I'll go. I know Kirk better; maybe I can provide a buffer. He's not going to take well to the fact that one of his crew is being convicted of high treason."

"Alright, Pike. But I want that officer returned to Starfleet Headquarters immediately. Ensign, inform Commander Braddick that he will be serving as prosecution for this case. I want a list of witnesses and evidence on my desk first thing tomorrow morning. Dismissed."

"Aye." With his orders given, the ensign left the office.

"Don't waste any time, Pike. There's no place for treasonous officers in Starfleet. Get her off that ship as soon as you can." A smile bordering on sadistic crept across Savage's face, "I intend to have her tried and convicted before the week is over."

Pike was slightly worried at the JAG's convictions, but smartly came to attention, "Aye, aye."

Savage gave a wave of his hand, "Dismissed." Admiral Pike didn't wait any longer and left the room. Stopping at the yeoman's desk just beyond the doors, he spoke to the woman there.

"Call my office and inform my secretary that I'll be leaving the planet. Have her cancel any meetings and forward my messages to the Enterprise." The woman nodded and began to do so. Having already foreseen what had just happened, Pike had just to pick up a small duffle at his home, kiss his family goodbye, and set out to his old command. He only wished that it could be under better circumstances. Treason wasn't something taken to lightly, and Lieutenant Adorae Kane had committed such in the most severe way imaginable. Top Secret plans for the next class of starship had mysteriously made their way from the vault at the Starfleet Corps of Engineers and into the hands of the Klingons. All the evidence had led back to Kane. She was only allowed to transfer because no hard evidence had been found, until that night. It was now time to start the process. Starfleet was about to go try one of its own for treason with unwavering doubt.


	7. When Push Comes to Shove

A/N: I love it when my writing drives people crazy. It means that something good is coming up and people are following my story. Thank you to everyone for the adds and reviews. Told you the story was going to start picking up…who knows, I might add the little tiff between McCoy and Kirk into this one.

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There was very little noise inside the shuttle as it streaked through space toward its destination. Admiral Pike glanced up from the case file he was reading. Two armed security guards had been tasked to accompany the Admiral and detain Lieutenant Kane. He had told Vice Admiral Savage that there was no need, but the JAG had been adamant in sending the men. Pike sighed. It would be hours before they reached the Enterprise. That meant hours for him to keep reviewing the case against Kane. It wasn't looking good for her.

---

It was an early morning for Adorae. Before reveille had even been rung, she was up and in the gym. Dressed in a simple jogging suit she had begun her stretches, not paying much attention to anyone else that was in there. Kane used this time to focus her mind, having arrived early just to do so. Kirk had earned himself a sparring session after impressing the engineer at lunch the previous day. After her brief conversation with McCoy, Adorae needed to vent off some steam.

Finished with stretching her legs, Kane began on her arms. Closing her eyes, she started a breathing exercise and slowly counted in her head. In doing so her other senses became more attuned to her surroundings, especially hearing. That's why when the doors to the gym opened and another person entered the room, Adorae was well aware of it. However, she was also slightly mistaken as to the identity of that person.

"Glad to see you made it on time, Jim." Kane smirked a little, remembering a statement the Captain had made the previous day about punctuality.

"Good Morning, Adorae." McCoy tossed the towel he was holding over his shoulder and looked at her. She instantly opened her eyes and dropped the arm that she was stretching.

Her initial look of shock quickly melted into one of passiveness, "Doctor." Was the only greeting she gave to him.

Bones nodded, "Alright. I deserve that." He walked over to a bench and sat down.

"Only that?" she questioned in a sarcastic tone. McCoy just shook his head and sighed.

"Look, I'm sorry for the way I acted yesterday. You didn't deserve it." he looked at her, hoping for forgiveness but not entirely sure if he was going to get it.

"You don't need to apologize, I expected it."

"Expected it? When did I ever treat you with anything other than respect?" Bones fought to keep his cool.

"You tell me. It's something I've tried to block out but could never seem to do so." Her voice had lowered a bit.

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. After all these years she was still angry with him. "If I recall," McCoy stood from the bench, "you were the one nitpicking at every little thing I did. Always complaining when I had to work late at the hospital…"

"So it was a crime for wanting to spend time with you? Try to make you more of a gentleman than a grease-eating bachelor."

"You criticized everything, Addie!" Bones whipped the towel onto the floor as his temper started to flair.

"I was trying to help!"

"Help with what? Change me into the man you rather would have been with?"

"It was better than the one I had." Her words were cool.

"Then why didn't you leave, huh? Why didn't you just walk out the door and find somebody else?" Bones took a step closer to her as he spoke, coming face to face.

"Because you left me!" Kane herself was taken aback by the force of her words. Much quieter, "You walked out the door and I never saw you again. For seven years, Leonard…" her words became strained as she fought back a growing lump in her throat.

"You did what? Sure as hell didn't try to find me." Bones' anger had grown too much. It was blinding him now to the pain he was causing Adorae.

"What was the point, you obviously didn't want to be there anymore." she grabbed the small duffle she had brought and slung it over her shoulder. Not wanting to continue this conversation any longer, Kane started for the door but was stopped when McCoy grabbed her arm.

"Let go of me!" she spun around to face him, her teeth gritted together. McCoy opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted.

"Is something wrong?" Kirk stepped into the gym; his arms crossed staring at the two of them.

"Nothing," Adorae used the distraction to free her arm, "Everything's fine." She glared at McCoy.

"Fine?" Bones just let out a huff of air and stormed toward the door. Kirk was there to stop him.

"Whoa, slow down." He held up his hand to stop the Doctor, and in his forward movement McCoy ran right into it. He shot the Captain a dangerous look.

"Why don't we just take a moment and talk this through."

"There's nothing to talk about." Again, McCoy tried to make his way through.

"Come on, Bones…"

"I said I don't want to talk!" And in that moment McCoy did something that he had never done before in all the years he had been friends with Jim. He shoved him. Hard. Kirk stumbled back, barely catching himself before hitting the bulkhead. He looked up at McCoy in shock.

"Just stay out of it this time, will ya? It's bad enough you're all over her like a love-sick school boy." His words were becoming harsher by the second.

"Love-sick…you said you were over her!" the naturally hot-headed Kirk had already closed the gap between them and was now standing toe to toe with the Doctor.

"Guys, please!" Kane tried to intercede between the two but they were too caught up in the argument to even remember that she was there.

"That doesn't give you the right to run in and play Prince Charming. She's not like the other women you go after." McCoy too had stepped closer.

"Oh really? What kind of women are those?"

"Unintelligent, single-minded, and fake." Bones smirked slightly, "It's proven that the males of some species tend to look for characteristics they share in a mate."

If it wasn't the remark about him being any of those three, it was the look on McCoy's face that sent Kirk over the edge. With a primal yell he jumped at the Doctor knocking him to the ground. Adorae barely managed to get out of the way as the two men began rolling around on the deck. Punches were thrown and wrestling ensued. She watched in horror at the events that unfolded.

It had come to blows, and right before her very eyes. Adorae couldn't speak, she had trouble breathing as these two men pushed and shoved one another. What had just happened here? Were they really fighting over her?

No. No, that wasn't it at all. Leonard felt threatened by Kirk, with good reason. The Captain of the Enterprise had made numerous advances toward Adorae since the first day she stepped on board. Each time she had turned him down and yet he persisted. It seemed like nothing could deter James T. Kirk once he had his mind set. McCoy knew this fact all too well, and usually did nothing more than make chide remarks.

Everything had changed, though. Jim wasn't going after just any other woman. This was his woman. Or rather, she had been his woman. That was a lifetime ago. He was a doctor in Starfleet now and his life had very much changed. Until she stepped off that transport and turned his world upside down. Now here he was going punch for punch with a man who he considered his brother.

The world turned black for a moment as a fist connected with McCoy's jaw. He stumbled a bit to the left, but didn't have time to fully recover before Kirk had him in a bear hug. The two went hurtling toward the bulkhead at break neck speed. There was a sickening crunch that echoed throughout the room. Adorae held her breath in shock, even as the two continued to struggle.

"Will you two just stop!" another punch thrown, this time landing square in Kirk's midsection. "I said stop it!" Adorae took a few steps closer as she raised her voice above the noise of the fighting. Both men halted their actions and looked at her.

"Look at you, your grown adults and Starfleet officers!" her voice broke slightly on the last word. The tears were burning her eyes, threatening to fall. Her vision became blurry and a lump rose in her throat. Her next words were nothing but a hoarse whisper.

"You're best friends…" Kane took in a slow, shaky breath, "If nothing else that should matter most."

Silence filled the air for the next few moments. The only sounds were that of exerted breathing coming from the two senior officers. As Adorae's words sunk in, so did the severity of the fight. In a moment of weakness, McCoy's breath hitched and his legs gave out. In a wave of pain he slid down the length of the bulkhead and landed on the deck.

"Leonard!" Adorae closed the distance between them quickly and knelt down by his side. She could smell the sweat and blood, but most of all she could see the pain in his eyes. He was hurting both physically and emotionally.

Jim stared down at Bones and Adorae, almost in a daze. Slowly he became aware of the pain in his stomach and also in his hands. Looking down he noticed the streaks of blood across his knuckles. Not his blood. It was McCoy's. They had finally reached a point where not even the bonds of friendship could stop either from making complete fools of themselves.

"Hey, look at me." Adorae's quiet voice broke through the din and Kirk again looked down. She had the doctor's face in her hands and was speaking to him gently. Soothing his nerves and assessing his injuries at the same time. Her mind was completely focused on McCoy, and nowhere else. Jim saw it more clearly now than ever before. Adorae Kane still held feelings for McCoy; there wasn't any doubt in his mind. Suddenly everything he had done, the advances, the dinner proposals, they all seemed trivial in that one moment of clarity.

"I…I'm…" Kirk stammered, trying to find the words he wanted to say, "Bones...I…"

"Jim…" McCoy started.

"I have to go." The words were quick and so was Kirk. He left the room without looking back and with no destination in mind.

Adorae was sitting by now and was gently cradling McCoy's upper body in her arms. His breathing was shallow and steady, but with a hitch here and there. A clear sign of a broken rib or two. Taking in a deep breath and closing her eyes, Adorae rested her cheek against the top of his head. They sat like that for a moment, just taking each other in.

That moment faded when the door opened again and one of the other doctors came through, followed by a handful of corpsmen with a stretcher in tow. Apparently the fight had caught someone's attention and they had reported it. Kane sat up a bit more, though still providing support for Bones. She spoke as the other doctor kneeled down.

"A few cuts and bruises, and I think his ribs are broken." The doctor nodded and motioned for the stretcher to be brought over. Adorae helped them maneuver McCoy onto the board. As they lifted him up she felt a hand grab her own.

There were no words, just emotions. Bones squeezed her hand gently, looking into those emerald green eyes. They were filled with tears, and anger, and fear…and love. It was only an instant, but he saw it. McCoy wanted to stay in that moment forever, but his body protested. She had been right, his ribs were broken. Kirk, always having been the better fighter, had done a number on him. Never before had the two of them fought like this. Then again, he had never felt such passion for something, or someone.

Bones held on until the stretcher moved out of reach of where Adorae stood. He kept her in his sights for as long as he could, until the door slid shut and all he saw was the dull grey of the corridor. His lids became heavy and slowly closed. Against the black he focused on her face and those eyes. That was all McCoy wanted to think about right now. Not the fight with Kirk, just the aftermath when Adorae had held him in her arms for the first time in years. He'd forgotten what that felt like. The question now was would it ever happen again?


	8. Guilty Until Proven Innocent

A/N: Yes, a fight like that is very uncharacteristic of Bones and Kirk, but men will do some strange things when it comes to a woman. Anyway, the next installment of my story…

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It was the most beautiful thing that Christopher Pike had ever seen. The sight of the USS Enterprise sitting there against a back drop of stars was enough to make him long for the adventures of command. She was a good ship, with a good Captain and crew. Pike only regretted that he would have to be the one to bring a blemish to such a sparkling record. Not just for the Enterprise but for Starfleet as well.

The outer shuttle bay doors opened allowing the shuttle to enter. As was expected, Captain Kirk was waiting on the other side. The Admiral had personally informed Kirk of his impending arrival. The conversation was very brief and Pike had made the observation that his predecessor seemed a bit distracted. He dismissed it, blaming it on the stresses of commanding a starship.

James Kirk approached the shuttle as the hatch opened. He offered a smile and a greeting as the Admiral stepped down onto the deck, "Admiral Pike, a pleasure to see you again."

"You as well, Jim. Taking good care of the girl, I hope?" Christopher shook his hand with a grin, noticing a few bruises on his face, "You get into a fight?"

"Just a little disagreement, nothing to worry about. If you'll follow me, Admiral." Kirk motioned toward the door.

"You should get the Doctor to take a look at that." Pike remarked as he fell into step beside Kirk. He didn't notice the other man shake his head.

"He's a little preoccupied at the moment, maybe later."

The two exited the shuttle bay and headed to where the guest quarters were. Following behind them were the two security guards along with an Enterprise yeoman. While walking along the corridor, Kirk couldn't help but wonder why the Admiral had travelled with so many escorts.

"Sir, if you don't mind my asking, why the muscle?" He jerked his head back toward the others.

Pike sighed and watched the ground as they walked, placing a hand on the young Captain's shoulder, "I'll explain everything later. For now I need a hot meal and an even hotter shower." He offered a smile to calm Jim's nerves.

"Whatever you say, sir." They soon arrived at their destination and Kirk excused himself, allowing the Admiral to rest before they met again. From there the yeoman took the two guards to their quarters.

Once inside his room, Pike pulled out the case file and set it on the desk. He stared at the small electronic device for a moment, trying to decide how he was going to tell James Kirk he had a traitor on board his ship. The task alone would not be easy, but the circumstances behind it made it nearly impossible. Vice Admiral Savage wanted to make an example of this woman, practically crucify her to prove a point.

---

An hour had passed before Admiral Pike contacted Kirk again for a meeting. He called the Captain into his quarters, the two security guards ordered to stay on the far side of the room. Jim buzzed the door soon after and entered, eying the two large men suspiciously, before taking the offered chair. Pike made no attempt to acknowledge their presence.

"Before you start," Kirk leaned across the table lowering his voice, "If this is about that dancer on Alpha Centauri, I didn't know she had a boyfriend."

"Don't worry, Jim. I'm not here for you." The Admiral kept a stoic look on his face despite the Captain's comment.

"Oh," he sat back, "Then why are you here?" he crossed his arms, giving the Admiral a concerned look.

Pike took a deep breath and pushed the case file across the table, "I was sent by the Judge Advocate General to arrest a member of your crew."

Jim didn't reply, just stared at Pike with a somewhat shocked expression. Grabbing the device he began reading over the charges being brought against the officer. With each passing moment the shocked look melted into one of concentration and then anger.

"Who is it?" Kirk's eyes never strayed from the words before him.

"Lieutenant Adorae Kane."

"What?" his voice was barely above a whisper as Kirk looked up at the Admiral, "It can't be."

"You've read the charges and seen the evidence, Jim. The JAG wants her back on Earth within 72 hours to stand trial." He paused, "I'm sorry."

"It's just that," he took a moment to find the words, "Does she have a chance?"

"She will stand a fair trial back in San Francisco, but I won't lie. There is a great deal of evidence against her."

Kirk took a moment to collect his thoughts, "What's next?" he looked to the Admiral for guidance.

"I need to take her into custody. She will stay under guard here while I conduct the pre-trial questioning and then will return back to Earth with me to face a judge."

"Alright." As much as he wished any member of his crew would not be accused of such a thing, he had to obey the orders of Starfleet's Admiralty. Did it have to be her, though? With the fight between Bones and himself still fresh in his mind, Kirk was reluctant to proceed with the arrest. Standing from the table, Jim took the few steps to the computer terminal there and used it to locate Kane. The result that came up wasn't exactly what he wanted to see. He closed his eyes a moment and reopened them, hoping to find something different. It was the same.

"She's in Sickbay." Kirk felt defeated for some reason. Almost like it was his fault that Adorae was about to get arrested.

"Very well." Pike also stood, motioning to the two security officers. He paused at the door when Kirk didn't follow.

"I know you don't like this, Jim. Neither do I. But it has to be done." The Captain nodded and after a moment followed the Admiral as they left the room and headed for Sickbay. He didn't wonder how Adorae was going to take it, that he wasn't worried about. It was Bones' reaction that Kirk was concerned about. There was no telling what state of mind the doctor was in after this morning.

---

The medical bay was quiet, but for the hum of a few machines and the gossip of the two nurses on duty. Adorae had settled herself into a chair in the corner of the room. It was far enough away from the bed where McCoy lay, but still close enough for her to see him and hear what the nurses were saying about his condition. The injuries hadn't been anything serious. Three broken ribs, a mild concussion, and a number of lesions across his face as well as some bruising. Judging by his condition, there was no doubt who had come out the winner in that fight. Physically at least.

McCoy had been given a mild sedative after being treated. It was more so to help with the pain, but also to calm him down. Kane hadn't been present at the time, but the duty nurse had told her about his refusal to be treated.

"Doctor's make the worst patients." The nurse had commented before returning to her duties. Kane stopped by a couple of times throughout the morning, whenever she could get a break from Engineering. He hadn't even stirred, but Adorae was assured the he was doing fine. Still, once her shift was over she had gone back to Sickbay. Now here she sat, waiting.

This was the sight that greeted the Admiral and Kirk as they entered Sickbay. Lieutenant Kane sat watching one of the medical beds, one foot tucked under as the other dangled over the edge of the chair. Pike had taken a few steps closer before he realized that it was Doctor McCoy laying there. Noticing many of the same types of cuts and bruises on his face as the Captain's, Pike looked back. Kirk's steel blue eyes met his, not offering any explanation.

"Lieutenant Kane." Pike stopped a few feet from her.

Adorae looked up, but the uniform didn't register right away. As soon as it did, however, she was on her feet and standing at attention, "My apologies, sir. I didn't see you enter."

"It's alright, Lieutenant. At ease." He took another step forward, stopping directly in front of her. Kane had merely gone to parade rest, a sign of her training at the Academy. And something most other officers tended to stray from as their years of active service wore on.

"Do you know why I'm here?" he asked casually.

Kane glanced briefly over at Kirk, who offered no help, "No, sir. I do not."

"Where'd you grow up, Lieutenant?" Pike crossed his arms behind his back and looked at her thoughtfully.

"I was born just outside of Dublin, Ireland. My family moved to Quebec when I was six, and then to Mississippi when I was fourteen." She tried to hide the look of confusion.

"Three different countries with three different cultures. That's quite the upbringing, Ms. Kane." He paused in thought, "That's an Irish name. So why Canada?"

"My mother is Canadian."

Pike just nodded and turned around to face Kirk. Stepping away from the now very confused Kane, the Admiral leaned in close to Kirk and lowered his voice to a whisper.

"A woman with a background like that and she still shows restraint and military bearing? If she's truly innocent, you're going to have on helluva fight on your hands, Jim." He placed a hand on the Captain's shoulder, "I'll be behind you both every step of the way. For now, I have to do what I was sent here for." Kirk nodded his understanding and waited. The tension in the room seemed to increase ten-fold as the Admiral motioned for the two guards to step forward as well. To make things worse, McCoy had started to stir and was waking up.

Pike again stood in front of the young engineer, who was now looking frantically between him and the guards, "Lieutenant Adorae Kane, by order of the Judge Advocate General I am placing you under arrest for the crime of treason against Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets."

"What?" Kane's mouth was open but the words that were said were not hers. Struggling to sit up, McCoy's face registered that of shock. Suddenly, all eyes were on the Doctor. The nurses, having realized the severity of the Admiral's presence, as well as the Doctor's injuries, made haste to calm him before he hurt himself.

Jim walked over and placed a hand on the man's chest, keeping him from sitting up all the way, "Now's not the time, Bones. I'll explain it all later. Do as the nurses say and lie down." He set the Doctor with a hard stare.

"What the hell is going on and why is Addie under arrest? She didn't do anything." He fought back against the pressure to hold him down, but the pain in his ribs prevented it.

"Stay down, that's an order." The words were gritty and forceful, but the look in Kirk's eyes pleaded with his friend to listen.

"I'll be okay, Leonard." Kane managed a small smile for his benefit, putting on a brave face so as not to worry him.

"Lieutenant." One of the guards spoke as they both stepped up to either side of her. Adorae nodded meekly and followed them without a fight. Admiral Pike lingered a moment, waiting for the three to exit.

"Remember what I said, Jim." Pike then shifted his gaze to the bed and where the Doctor lay.

"And Bones," McCoy looked at the Admiral, "You look like hell." With that he turned and left the medical bay, leaving Kirk and McCoy in silence. As soon as the door closed McCoy let his head fall back against the pillow."

"Jim, what just happened?" Bones' voice was low, he stared at the ceiling.

"The JAG sent Admiral Pike to arrest Adorae for treason. It seems she gave secrets to the Klingons while she was assigned to the Starfleet Corps of Engineers. Plans for a new class of starship were delayed because of it." There wasn't any indication that Kirk believed what he was saying as he spoke.

"I don't believe a word of it. Addie would never do something like that."

"I know." Jim took in a deep breath and let it out slowly, "Look, Bones. I'm sorry for what happened earlier." He looked down at his friend.

McCoy pressed his lips together then spoke, "No, it's my fault. I don't know what got into me."

"Love." It was a simple word, but the meaning was deeper. No reply came. Bones just simply nodded his head. After a moment of silence his eyes began to drift closed as again he succumbed to the drug-induced sleep the nurses had snuck on him.

Kirk smiled knowing that everything would be okay between the two of them. It was a good thing, too, because Adorae would need every little bit of help she could get. They had less than 72 hours to prove her innocence before she was taken back to Earth and thrown to the wolves.

"Sleep well, Bones. We've got a big fight ahead of us." Kirk patted the Doctor's shoulder lightly then walked to the entrance of the medical bay. There he left orders for the nurse to inform him when McCoy was fit for duty, until then the Doctor was ordered to rest to allow time to heal. Making his way out into the passageway, Jim was already putting together a plan of action. No big wig in Starfleet was going to take down one of his officers without a fight. He would see to that.


	9. Expendable

A/N: I apologize for the unusual delay in updating this story. I've been having some computer problems the past couple of days and have been fighting to get it fixed. Here it is, though, the latest installment of the story with a few more twists and turns.

----------

The lights were dimmed and the guard sitting at the console looked like he was going to fall asleep at any moment. Adorae closed her eyes briefly and moved her head. When she opened them again the familiar view of the ceiling greeted her. Kane had been staring at that same spot for hours. Her mind had been in overdrive since being arrested the previous night. Every little event that had taken place in the past year ran like a movie reel. At intermissions she found herself going back further. Thinking about those three weeks in Mississippi when everything in her life was perfect. With a small sigh she turned over on her side to face the wall. In that instant the lights went up and another voice could be heard in the room.

"Wake up!" the sound of a thick leather boot meeting a metal chair echoed in the small space. Kane cringed slightly, knowing exactly who it was that had walked in. The heavy fall of footsteps made their way closer to the force field that marked the barrier of the brig.

"Wakey, wakey, Lieutenant. Time for breakfast." The voice was far from pleasant, more condescending if anything and it belonged to the one man that Adorae had come to loathe in the past ten hours. He was the larger of the two security guards that had travelled with Admiral Pike. The man had done nothing but harass and demean her since she was taken into custody.

Not moving at all, she spoke, "Just leave it next to the other one." Kane could almost feel the anger radiating from the guard. He lowered the force field and tossed the tray in next to the one he had left for dinner the night before. The food wasn't bad; she just didn't have an appetite for anything.

The guard muttered something under his breath before re-activating the force field. Kane lifted up onto her elbow and glanced over at the food. Disinterested, she lay back down. Pike's guard watched this with interest, but when no move toward the meal was made he huffed and left the brig.

A couple of hours passed, by which time she was now up and walking the tiny room. The trays still sat on the small table in the corner, untouched. There was a new guard seated at the console, a fair haired man with bright blue eyes. He seemed far too young to be in Starfleet. The boy reminded Adorae of a neighbor's son when her family still lived in Ireland. They had been playmates. Little things like that had been triggering memories all morning. Being left with so much time to herself was beginning to drive Adorae crazy. The doldrums were interrupted when the door opened and a loud Scottish accent filled the room.

"Oi! I dunna need an appointment to see one of my own engineers. Now sit down before I make ya!" Montgomery Scott stared down the young guard as he made his way past and over to where Kane was being held.

"Mr. Scott, what are you doing here?" Adorae stepped up to the force field.

"I came ta see how ya were fairin', lass. Confinement can be a depressin' experience, I would know." He shuddered a bit at the thought, having spent a fair amount of time in brigs himself.

Kane smiled, "I appreciate it, sir."

"Aye, jussa moment." He yelled back at the guard, "Why don't ya make yerself useful and lower this force field."

"I'm sorry, sir. I can't. According to Starfleet Regulation…"

"Never mind regulations! I, as yer superior officer, am tellin' ya to lower the bloody force field. Or can ya not get that through yer wee skull?"

"Y-yes, sir." The guard punched in a series of commands and the force field fizzled out. Taking action, the guard had locked the outside door and now stood a few yards from the two officers, armed with a phaser rifle. Scotty merely ignored him and proceeded through into the brig. He walked by Adorae and began picking at the food on the table. Kane moved her gaze from the armed guard to where Scott now stood.

"So tell me, Ms. Kane, how did a fine engineer like yerself end up here?" he tossed a piece of cheese into his mouth.

"I really don't know, sir." Kane sat down on the small cot.

"Ya know, I think I trust ya enough fer ya ta not be callin' me sir." He fished around for something else to nibble on. Adorae just looked at him confused.

"Ya've earned me respect, lassie. Whatever it takes I know the Cap'n will fight fer ya. Me too." He pointed a baby carrot at her to make his point.

Kane was shocked, "I-I really don't know what to say. Thank you." It didn't cease to amaze her the amount of support and respect she had earned in just a few days of being on board. It was a shame that it was all probably going to come to an end, and not in a way that she would have hoped.

"Yer one of the best engineers I've seen in a while. The Enterprise is lucky to have ya." Scott placed a hand on her shoulder, "I best be goin' now." He grabbed a few more carrots and headed for the front of the brig, "Don't let all this get ya down. We'll have ya out in no time." He shot her a smile, one last glare at the guard, and headed out into the corridor munching on baby carrots.

In an instant the force field had gone back up, bathing Adorae in the fluorescent light coming from the emitters. The Chief Engineer's visit had been enough to improve her mood. It would not last long, however, as her next visitor wasn't there for moral support. Within minutes of Scott's departure, Commander Spock entered the room. He spoke briefly with the guard before approaching the barrier. Again, it dropped.

"Lieutenant Kane," Adorae stood and faced the Vulcan, "I have been sent by Admiral Pike to begin the pre-trial questioning. Please, sit."

"I knew you weren't here to cheer me up," she said, taking a seat. Her good mood quickly fading away. Spock raised a brow at her comment, but dismissed it and pulled a chair closer. Taking out a small recording device, he activated it and set it on the table.

"Please state your full name, rank, and position for the record."

"Adorae Nadine Kane, Lieutenant, Assistant Chief Engineer, USS Enterprise."

"And your previous duty station?"

"Assistant to the Head of Research and Development, Starfleet Corps of Engineers."

"Do you know why you are here, Lieutenant?"

"Yes."

"Please clarify." Kane shot a look at Spock.

"I'm being accused of treason."

This line of questioning went on for nearly an hour before they were interrupted by the arrival of lunch. It was the same guard as the previous two times; whose name Adorae learned was Michaels. He walked into the brig and set the tray down, then piled the other two together and walked out. Kane didn't catch it, but he seemed pleased that there was food missing.

"We shall continue this later, Lieutenant."Commander Spock stood, as did Adorae. She waited for him to leave before sitting back down. Glancing over, Kane saw the fresh plate of food. Her stomach growled with hunger and she finally succumbed to her need to eat. Pulling the tray down into her lap, Adorae began helping herself to the meal.

---

"I don't see how this is going to work, Jim. We've got no evidence to prove she's innocent and no where to start." McCoy winced a bit as he pushed himself off the medical bed and into a standing position. The Doctor himself had contacted Kirk once he was awake. Both the Captain and Admiral Pike had gone down to Sickbay.

"I know, but that's where you come in."

"Me?"

"You can talk to her, get the full story. She'll listen to you, Bones." Kirk helped McCoy as he pulled on his blue tunic.

"If you hadn't noticed, that didn't work out all too well the last time." He tugged the shirt down and smoothed it over with his hands.

"Admiral Savage has already decided her fate, McCoy. This is your only chance to prove him wrong." Pike had a grave look on his face, "There's more to this than the JAG is letting on."

"There is no one, no one, in the galaxy who would fight for her more than me." Bones' voice held a conviction that Kirk had rarely seen, and only when he had set out to do something as a Doctor. Jim smiled, though, because he also knew that it meant his friend wouldn't stop for anything.

"The heart is a powerful muscle, Bones, don't fight it."

Just then the doors to the medical bay opened and a pitiful moaning could be heard. Montgomery Scott had entered, holding his stomach and sweating profusely. Doctor McCoy went into action immediately, though the sudden movement was too much and jarred his ribs. He ignored the flash of pain and stepped over to the engineer.

"My god, man. You look like death warmed over." Bones began scanning Scott with a small device, a frown on his face.

"I feel like it. Oooh…" Scotty practically doubled over with nausea.

"Lay down." McCoy led him over to another medical bed and helped him up. Using the scanners there he got a better picture of what was ailing the Chief Engineer.

"We'll get out of your way, Doctor." Pike motioned toward Kirk that they should leave. The Captain nodded and started for the door.

Bones had merely nodded, his mind focused on the stream of information on the screen above the bed. There was an unnaturally high level of certain fluids in Scott's body. As the seconds went by and more readings popped up, McCoy's theories became more solid. At last, one final reading flashed on the screen, telling the Doctor exactly what it was.

"Jim, wait!"

Kirk and the Admiral both stopped just before exiting Sickbay, "What is it?"

"He's been poisoned." Bones looked down at Scotty.

---

At that very same moment, Kane was lying down on the cot in the brig. For some reason she had begun feeling over heated, and a strong feeling of nausea had gripped her stomach. It was only when the room began to spin and she started getting light headed that Adorae knew something was wrong. Slowly she attempted to sit up, failing once before managing to force herself upright.

"G…guard." Her voice was weak, and barely audible to the man sitting across the room. "Guard!" this time she tried to stand, her voice still too quiet. Bracing against the bulkhead, Kane tried to make her way over to the entrance. The movement caught his attention and he walked over.

"What do you want?" he looked irritated.

"Call…Sickbay…"

"Look, I'm not falling for any little tricks. Why don't you just go sit down and shut up."

"No…" her throat began to tighten and her breathing became labored. Adorae's vision also started to blur, causing her to catch on the force field when she lost her balance. She cried out in pain as her hand was burned.

"I told you to sit down!" he walked back over to the brig.

"Doctor…McCoy…" she dropped to her knees, "…please…" Kane leaned against the bulkhead, fighting to stay conscious as her air supply was being cut off. It was no use, though, as her body gave in. The Lieutenant crumpled to the floor; the last fading sounds she heard were of the guard calling away a medical emergency. Then it all went black.

---

"Poisoned? By who?" Kirk walked back over, looking more closely at his Chief Engineer.

"I'm not sure. Judging by the toxins present, he had to of ingested it. Scott," he leaned down to speak, "What have you eaten today?"

"Skipped breakfast," he coughed, trying to clear his throat.

"Did you eat at all? Come on, Scotty!" McCoy slapped his face a bit to keep him focused.

"Jus' some carrots…" he again fell into a coughing fit.

"Carrots. Where?"

More coughing, "Brig." Was all he could manage.

"The brig? What was he doing…?" Kirk trailed off as it dawned on him. The only reason Scotty had to go to the brig was to visit his ACE. No one had time to react as a voice came over the ship's intercom.

"Medical Emergency! Medical Emergency! Chief Medical Officer report to the brig!" the message was repeated but McCoy didn't stick around to hear it. He had already grabbed his bag and was yelling orders to the corpsmen to take care of Scotty as he ran out of the room.

"This is no coincidence, Jim. We've got a potential killer here." Admiral Pike stepped out of the way, pulling Kirk with him as the medical team tended to the Chief Engineer.

"You're right." He went over to the nearest communications panel and toggled the switch, "Bridge, this is the Captain. Go to security alert, but do it covertly. Someone just tried to kill the Chief Engineer and Assistant Chief Engineer. Send out the security teams, I want everyone on lockdown until this is over." The reply came instantly. With a quick glance to the Admiral, Kirk started for the door.

"Where are you going?"

"The brig. If anything has happened to Lieutenant Kane, Bones is going to be the one trying to kill someone." Without waiting for a reply, he was out the door and heading for the brig.

Moments later Kirk arrived but what he found was not good. McCoy was hunched over Adorae, he hands placed strategically on her chest administering compressions. Between breaths he was cursing and yelling for the two corpsmen dispatched from Sickbay with more equipment. Jim couldn't believe what was happening. An attempt on Kane's life was about to escalate to murder.


	10. Perception is Everything

A/N: And here we go…! Still fighting the computer problems as well as a bit of a rut on where to take the story next. For now I'm going to give you all a little more background on McCoy and Kane's previous relationship. I've got an idea for the rest of it, just got to get it out in writing.

----------

James Kirk was staring hard at the bulkhead in front of him. Behind the chair where he sat, Admiral Pike paced the floor. The two men were quite the sight, and had been like that for nearly an hour. The first reports from the security lockdown had come in, revealing no criminal mastermind yet. All non-essential personnel had been confined to quarters and were being questioned. A task simple enough in itself, but on a ship as large as the Enterprise, was monumental.

"I can't sit here anymore." Kirk jumped from the chair and headed for the door.

"Jim, where are you going?" Christopher was close on his heels.

"To find answers."

"We have to take it easy, this is a slow process." Pike fell into step beside the Captain, not really sure what their destination was.

"Well, I'm going to speed it up a little." He rounded a corner sharply, leaving the Admiral to increase speed in order to catch up.

"And how do you plan on doing that?"

"Two days ago I didn't have any killers on my ship. Then you and the bobsy twins showed up. And because I trust you don't have a vendetta against anyone, that leaves only one other option." Another corner taken.

"The security guards." Pike realized what Kirk was up to. He personally had not met either until the day they had left Earth. These were Starfleet officers, though, sworn to protect and uphold. Then another thought hit him.

"Jim, wait." The Admiral grabbed Kirk's shoulder and pulled him back. "I've got a better idea."

---

The medical bay was quiet except for the soft beeping of machines. Only a nurse and corpsman were working, the rest having been sent back to their quarters. Doctor McCoy stood next to one of the work stations, comparing the notes on the data PADD he held to what was on the screen. A few feet away Commander Scott slept peacefully. The medical staff had managed to purge his system of the poison. Lieutenant Kane's situation was an entirely different story. After reviving her in the brig, Bones spent an additional two hours stabilizing her.

Even after winning the fight against death, McCoy had continued to work. His staff didn't bother trying to even hint he take some time off, they knew better. Instead, they just did as he instructed and stayed out of the way. McCoy moved back and forth between his two patients, but most of his time was spent in the medical bay's Intensive Care Unit, where Adorae had been placed after being stabilized. The poison was almost gone from her system, but what remained wasn't potent enough to have an effect. It was how Kane would be after she woke up that concerned McCoy.

He stopped for a moment, looking down at her. Kane's face was starting to gain back some of its color. It was a welcome change to the ghostly white of a couple of hours ago. McCoy pulled a chair closer to the bed and set down the data PADD on a nearby console. His breath became shallow and he moved slowly. Adorae looked so fragile that he didn't want to do anything to jeopardize her recovery. Reaching up, Bones gently brushed away a lock of hair. He would have given anything for her open her eyes. Quietly, McCoy started humming to himself. It was low and slightly off key, but a familiar tune.

"…let me see what spring is like on Jupiter and Mars." His finger traced the line of her jaw, still humming, "In other words…" McCoy froze, looking at this woman in front of him in an old familiar way, "…I love you." How he wished she would open her eyes.

---

"Leonard! Where'd you put the mustard?" Adorae's voice preceded her into the living room as she walked out of the kitchen. It was seven years earlier at Kane's new apartment in nearby College Hill. She had just moved in the day before and the two had been busy hauling boxes up two flights of stairs. McCoy was sprawled out on a picnic blanket in the middle of an empty room. Adorae walked over kicking him playfully in the thigh.

"Hey!" he instantly sat up wrapping his arms around her knees and hauling her to the ground. Adorae let out a yelp as gravity took over. She fell into a heap right on top of him, laughing the entire time. They wrestled around for a few minutes, McCoy taking every advantage to tickle her. Afterward they both lay there with goofy grins on their faces breathing heavily from the exertion. Not missing a beat, Kane jumped up to her feet.

"Mustard?" she looked down at him, a smile on her face.

"Cooler next to the sliding door." Bones lifted only his head to watch her walk away, enjoying the view with a goofy grin.

"My father invited us over for dinner," the sounds of rummaging emanated from the next room, but the question was all McCoy heard.

"Your father?" the smile had faded from his face.

"Yeah," she popped her head around the corner and saw the look on McCoy's face, "Relax. You two will get along great."

Bones propped himself up on his elbows and stared at the entrance to the kitchen where Adorae had just disappeared. He had been dreading this moment since they had first started dating. Alec Kane was an imposing man. He also lived a little over an hour away. Adorae had been trying to set up a meeting between the two for a couple of weeks now and every time McCoy had managed to side step it.

Genevieve Nuveau, her mother, had stopped by multiple times and had taken a liking to her daughter's new man. She mooned over him constantly, going on and on about how handsome he was and inquiring about grandchildren. Adorae laughed it off, but the words stuck with Bones. He never let it show, but it was constantly on his mind.

McCoy wiped a hand down his face, "When?"

"Tomorrow night. Little restaurant downtown." Kane walked back out with couple of sandwiches and sat down on the blanket. "So what do you say?"

"Sure." He forced a smile and took a sandwich.

---

It was late the next night. Footsteps could be heard outside the apartment, soon followed by loud voices. They only got louder once the door opened and Adorae and Bones stepped through.

"What are you so upset about?" Kane pulled off her jacket and tossed it over the back of the chair.

"Oh I don't know, maybe because I just got dragged through the mud!" McCoy stepped down into the living area just blindly walking.

"What are you talking about?"

McCoy spun around, "Your father blatantly and purposely demeaned me and what I do!" he threw his hands in the air.

"So he made a comment about doctors. He didn't mean anything by it. You're just over reacting." She stood at the edge of the small step separating the two rooms.

"Your father hates me, Addie, let's just face it." McCoy looked hurt. As much as meeting her father had terrified him, he wanted the man to like him. More for Adorae than himself.

"He doesn't hate you, he just…"

"Stop. Alright. Just stop." Brushing by her, Bones skipped over both steps and went straight for the door.

"Leonard, please…"

"I'm leaving. I can't do this." He grabbed the door knob and turned it.

"Where are you going? Let's at least talk about this…" Adorae's voice was quiet; she didn't want to further the argument. In her gut she knew that he was right. Her father was ruthless and very protective of his oldest daughter. Still, she had thought they would get along. She was wrong.

"There's nothing to talk about." McCoy took one more long look at Adorae, a pain growing in his heart. For three weeks they had been each other's constant companions. She was all he looked forward to at the end of a long shift. Her spirit and seemingly endless energy served as his source of happiness. Things had begun to change in the past week, though, and it scared him. The new apartment and her hints of him moving in. It was close to campus and the commute to the hospital wasn't bad. Her insistence that he meet her father and then that fateful night. It was too much to try and take in at one time.

Not saying another word, McCoy left the apartment and shut the door. He stood on the other side for a brief moment before making his way down the hallway, down the stairs, and out into the street. Inside, Adorae stared at the now empty space, not sure of what just happened. They hadn't really had a fight, more of a strong disagreement. Yet those few short moments had shaped the future in an instant. As soon as that door had closed so had the relationship. It was a silly reason to end it all, but end it did. For the next seven years both Adorae and Bones would think of the other, think about what had happened that night, and wonder where they were. That was the last time they would see each other until that day in the shuttle bay on the Enterprise.

---

The dark clouds were ominous. It had been threatening to rain for over a week and it looked as if it might that evening. McCoy walked with no destination in mind. His mind was just as cloudy as the weather. The best three weeks of his life had seemingly just ended. A flash of lightning lit up the night sky, temporarily blinding him. The crack of thunder let loose a torrent of rain, instantly soaking McCoy but he was none the wiser. He was numb to the world.

He walked like that for what appeared to be hours. Over and over in his mind that last conversation played. Adorae's voice was clear and taunting. McCoy could still see the look on her face before he left the apartment. It was confusion. She didn't realize what he had just gone through during their dinner with her father. Leaning back, Bones let the rain run down his face. His clothes were already soaked through, but he didn't care.

The area where he walked was starting to grow dark as the lamp posts became scarce. Further and further away Bones went, not realizing that he wasn't going to be going back. He had his personal fears, but never before had one person scared him so much. Adorae Kane was a force all her own, beautiful and strong. Independent, a certified genius, and a lover of music. Her family had a rocky past but she had stepped through it and survived. McCoy respected her greatly, but she terrified him to no end. He'd never been with anyone so full of life.

Bones stopped walking. Looking up he saw the familiar sight of the University of Mississippi campus entrance. The large sign was lit on both sides. He stared at the words as if seeing them for the first time. So much time spent here in the years and weeks before. With a deep breath, McCoy turned his back on the marker and started walking again. In that moment he had made a difficult decision, one that would haunt him for years. It was time to move on, start a new chapter of his life. As much as it pained him to do it, Bones had chosen to never see her again.

---

Kirk stared at the view screen in front of him. He was sitting in the center chair on the bridge, a forlorn look on his face. The room was quiet and very tense. With minimal manning, there were very few people walking about. It made the Enterprise seem like a ghost ship. Behind him the usually soft hiss of the automatic door was loud, echoing through the room. Jim didn't bother to turn around, he knew who had entered.

"Mr. Sulu," Jim stood and turned to face his pilot. At the same time, Pike's two guards stepped out from their posts along the bulkhead and approached the officer. Sulu didn't acknowledge their presence, merely kept his eyes on the Captain. The guards stepped up to either side.

Kirk spoke, his blue eyes steely and unforgiving, "Hikaru Sulu, you are under arrest for the attempted murders of Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott and Lieutenant Adorae Kane. By the authority given to me as Commanding Officer of the Enterprise, I am confining you to the brig until you can be handed over to Starfleet security on Earth."

Just then a yeoman walked up to the Captain and whispered something into his ear. Kirk looked at the woman, "When?"

"A few moments ago, sir." Her voice was sad, the feeling reflecting in her eyes.

"Thank you, yeoman."

"Sir?" The guard, Michaels, looked at Kirk.

"Mr. Sulu I'm afraid the charges against you have changed. I am dropping one count of attempted murder, and charging you with one count of first degree murder." He stepped forward and stood face to face with the accused, "You just killed one of my officers, something I don't take lightly too. Take him to the brig."

Hikaru didn't say a word, his face stone cold as the two guards led him off the bridge. Jim let out the breath he was holding as the doors to the turbo lift closed. Looking around he noticed everyone was staring at him.

"Carry on!"

As they all went back to work, Kirk sighed. Wiping his face with his hand he shifted his gaze to the quiet figure near the Science console. Commander Spock, hands folded neatly behind his back, face indifferent stepped forward.

"You did what was right, Captain. It is as you said, Lieutenant Kane is dead. There was no other choice then to incarcerate Lieutenant Sulu. After all, the evidence clearly identifies him as the perpetrator."

"Yeah, but that doesn't make it any easier, Spock." Kirk stepped up to the next level and headed for the turbo lift, "You have the bridge, I need to clear my head." The Vulcan gave no verbal reply, merely inclining his head and taking the center chair.

---

The lights in the medical bay were dimmed and jazz music played quietly through the hidden speakers. No one was around but Doctor McCoy, a nurse, and his patient. Bones had moved his work to a console near the occupied bed and sat there pouring over medical publications and notes. Every once in a while he would glance back at his patient, or check a few of the readings on the screen above the bed.

"How's she doing?" the voice came out of nowhere, startling the Doctor.

"Jesus, Jim! Don't you know not to sneak up on a man like that?" Bones had his hand over his heart, trying to slow its rapid beating.

"Sorry."

"Ah, forget it." McCoy flipped the data PADD over and pushed the chair back. Standing up he walked over and grabbed the medical chart lying next to the bed, "She's stable for now, but barely. Had a nasty reaction to the medication a couple of hours ago. Thought I was going to lose her." His voice was low, his eyes sad. McCoy still couldn't get the sound of the buzzers and alarms out of his head. The machines had gone crazy the instant Adorae's blood pressure had dropped and her heart rate sped up. Bones fought for over an hour to steady her vitals. Once that was done, he started her on an entirely new cocktail of medication and moved his office into the ICU.

"She's a fighter, Bones. I doubt she's leaving you anytime soon." Kirk's voice was sympathetic toward his friend. He had seen the change in the Doctor after the attempt on Kane's life. It was as if McCoy was fighting for more than the life of a patient, he was fighting to remedy something from his past that had hurt a loved one.

"I know, I just wish there was more I could do." Bones felt helpless in this stage of her recovery. All he could do was sit and wait hoping that the medication was working to repair the damage done by the poison.

"Where's Scotty?" Kirk had just now noticed the absence of his Chief Engineer in Sickbay.

"Engineering I suppose. I released him earlier this afternoon, unwillingly mind you." McCoy gave Kirk a look that told him Scott had left against medical advice, "Hey, what happened with Sulu? The nurse came in here a few minutes ago saying something about him being hauled off by a couple of guards." Bones' change in subject had caught the Captain off guard. It took him a moment to gather his thoughts.

"Amazing how news travels around here. Don't worry about it, we've got everything under control. You just make sure Ms. Kane gets back on her feet. I'll be on the bridge if you need anything." Jim gave the doctor a solid slap on the shoulder and headed for the door.

"Jim," the captain stopped and looked back, "Admiral Pike isn't still planning on taking her back to Earth is he? I mean, he can't, not with her in this state."

"Like I said, Bones, we've got everything under control." Kirk offered a small smile before exiting the medical bay. McCoy stared at the empty space for a while before shaking it off and sitting back down. Picking up another data PADD, he went back to work. Or at least he tried.


	11. A Spy Among Us

A/N: I apologize IMMENSLEY for the long delay in getting this next chapter out. Things got crazy at work and for anyone that has even the smallest involvement or knowledge of the military knows how it can get. It's going to be even harder for me to update with upcoming Sea Trials and exercises but I promise I will try my best! This is a slightly smaller chapter but I just wanted you all to know that I'm still here. I've already started work on the next one, so enjoy!

----------

Hikaru sat staring at the bulkhead. He had only been sitting in the brig for an hour but it felt like an eternity. The guard at the console had been giving the pilot wicked looks, already convinced Sulu was the one that murdered Kane. Tired of sitting, he began pacing the room back and forth. It was a short walk from one end to the other, as the brig wasn't very large. Another hour passed and Sulu was becoming restless.

That all changed in the blink of an eye when the doors to the brig opened. Captain Kirk walked in, followed by the two guards that had arrived with Admiral Pike. His face was stern, his eyes steely. There wasn't an ounce of sympathy present in the Captain's features. Hikaru's heart instantly fell to his feet. That look alone was enough to tell him that it was all over.

"Drop the barrier." Kirk spoke to the guard on duty, but kept his eyes forward. Seconds later the force field dropped and the two guards stepped forward.

"Sir…"

"Save it, Mr. Sulu. You'll get your turn to speak." Without saying another word he turned and left. Sulu was flanked on either side and led out of the room.

---

"Is it ready?" McCoy peered into the view screen at the nurse on the other side.

"Yes, Doctor. We're bringing the equipment online now and are ready for transport."

"Good. On my way." With that he cut the link and pivoted on his heel heading back toward the ICU. Another nurse was packing away some of the equipment around the only occupied bio bed. Bones stepped up next to where Adorae lay. Brushing away a stray lock of hair he paused for a moment. Her condition was improving, but slowly. McCoy was getting anxious for her to wake up.

"Okay. We don't have much time." He stepped aside so the corpsmen could transfer Kane from the bed to the gurney. Once the switch was made, McCoy pulled the blanket up a little and checked the chronometer.

"Let's move."

---

The guards were less than accommodating as they shoved Sulu into the empty conference room. Kirk and Pike were close on their heels. Once the two had seated themselves at the table, the Captain dismissed the guards. Michaels shot a confused look at the Admiral who gave him the okay. The two security officers reluctantly exited the space, with Michaels glancing over his shoulder at the trio.

Jim waited until the doors snapped shut before leaning back in the chair and slowly turning his head toward Lieutenant Sulu. Admiral Pike leaned forward and rested his forearms on the table, his steely eyes resting heavily on the pilot. The tension in the room was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. Then, without warning Kirk cracked a smile that could light up New York City.

"How ya doing, Sulu?"

"Uh, I'm good." He let out a breath that he'd been holding since they left the brig. A look of relief washed over Hikaru and he visibly relaxed.

"Good, good." The Enterprise Captain kicked his feet up on the table, looking thoughtful. A full minute went by in silence before someone spoke.

"Do you think it worked?" Sulu stepped forward, away from the door, and pulled a chair out to sit.

"Like a charm," Kirk glanced at the chronometer, "McCoy should be tucking Ms. Kane into her new private room as we speak."

Sulu tapped his fingers nervously against the polished wood, "Do you think they suspect anything?"

Pike shook his head, "No, I don't think so. Though I'm afraid, Mr. Sulu, that we'll need to keep up our little charade until we can get some hard evidence." Sulu nodded. "Until then, keep your eyes and ears open. Any little piece of information may help." He paused, "How is she?"

Jim's smile dropped, "Still out. Bones is working around the clock. I don't think he's slept since it happened."

The Admiral nodded and the room fell into silence. The three men sat there staring at each other, not seeming to have anything else to say about the situation. Pike's plan was in action and now all they had to do was play their parts and wait. That was the worst part. The plan was to see if one of the guards would slip up and admit to poisoning Lieutenant Kane. What they were really waiting for was whether or not what the men thought they did would actually come true.

---

The room was dark, except for the light emitting from the machines. It reflected off various objects including the only two people there. Adorae Kane slept peacefully as McCoy intently stood watch. The corpsmen had moved the patient into empty quarters only an hour before. After things had been set up according to the Doctor's standards he had sent the medical staff away. They protested at first but McCoy eventually won out.

Now it was only himself and Adorae. Thumbing the data PADD in his hand, Bones went over the test results and readings for the millionth time. He had done everything in the book and few that weren't in the book to neutralize the poison in her system. It had taken hours of tedious work and observation with little change to show for it.

"C'mon Addie. Don't do this to me…" Bones sat down heavily in a chair next to the bed. Reaching out he took her hand in his, fighting back the flood of memories that threatened to overtake him. He slowly moved his thumb back and forth over her skin. As peaceful as Kane looked, he knew that she was fighting a battle inside. Out of nowhere McCoy cracked a smile.

"Remember that time we went to Vegas? We flipped a coin because we couldn't decide. Las Vegas or New Orleans. It was a crazy idea that I wanted nothing to do with, but you convinced me somehow." He reached over and gently traced along her cheek with his finger, imagining that carefree smile she had worn permanently on her face that weekend.

Bones' voice lowered a little, despite there being no one else in the room, "I think I decided that weekend that you were the one." He smirked at how gooey that sounded out loud. "We got so caught up in the atmosphere that I asked you to marry me. Granted we were both drunk. Thank God the bell boy saw this and rigged a fake wedding." His quiet laugh filled the room. The "wedding" photo from that night was safely tucked away in a small wooden box in his quarters.

So many thoughts were racing through his mind that McCoy found it hard to focus on any singular event. Everything from the moment they met to the day he left played like a movie reel. Not a sound filled the room except for Kane's soft breathing and the burst of air coming from Bones as he remembered to breath.

McCoy eventually got a faraway look in his eyes, everything in front of him starting to blur. So much that he didn't even notice the slight movement. Kane's breathing slowly became deeper and her lids shuddered as her eyes moved rapidly beneath them. After a moment her eyes flashed open, green eyes darting around the room trying to make sense of what was going on and where she was. Moments went by as everything fell into place. That's when Adorae noticed Bones and the vacant look on his face.

The Doctor was so caught up in his own thoughts that the almost imperceptible squeeze of his hand was a shock. In an instant he became fully aware of the only other person there. Looking down, McCoy was amazed to see those brilliant green eyes staring back at him, a small smile on her face. Her voice was barely audible.

"Hey."


End file.
